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Lurberas
Rupebeka Lurubeas Republic of Lurberas |conventional_long_name = |common_name = |image_flag = Flag of Lurberas.svg |alt_flag = Flag of Lurberas |image_coat = Coat of Arms of Lurberas.svg |alt_coat = |symbol_type = |national_motto = |national_anthem = |royal_anthem = |other_symbol_type = |other_symbol = |image_map = Lurberas.svg |alt_map = |map_caption = Map of Lurberas |image_map2 = Lurberas_highlighted.svg |alt_map2 = |map_caption2 = Lurberas' location in the world, shown in green |capital = Belzeku |latd= | latm= | latNS = |longd= |longm= |longEW = |largest_city = Murcata |largest_settlement = |largest_settlement_type = city |official_languages = Lurberan |regional_languages = |languages_type = |languages = |ethnic_groups = 97% Lurs 3% Nunks |ethnic_groups_year = 2010 |demonym = Lurberan |government_type = Parliamentary republic |leader_title1 = President |leader_name1 = Marchal Veneas |leader_title2 = Prime Minister |leader_name2 = Polen Humaras |leader_title3 = Legislature |leader_name3 = Parliament -Senate -House of Delegates |leader_title6 = |leader_name6 = |sovereignty_type = |sovereignty_note = |established_event1 = Kingdom formed |established_date1 = September 4, 1427 |established_event2 = Republic established |established_date2 = September 29, 1879 |established_event3 = Current constitution |established_date3 = January 1, 1998 |established_event9 = |established_date9 = |area_rank = |area_magnitude = |area = |area_km2 = 1568728 |area_sq_mi = |area_footnote = |percent_water = |area_label = Total |area_label2 = |area_dabodyalign = |population_estimate = 39,000,000 |population_estimate_rank = |population_estimate_year = 2015 |population_census = 2010 |population_census_year = |population_density_km2 =196.77 |population_density_sq_mi = |population_density_rank = |GDP_PPP = $1.29 trillion |GDP_PPP_rank = |GDP_PPP_year = |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $31,991 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = |GDP_nominal = |GDP_nominal_rank = |GDP_nominal_year = |GDP_nominal_per_capita = |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = |Gini =37.1 |Gini_rank = |Gini_year = |Gini_category = |HDI = 0.887 |HDI_rank = |HDI_year = |HDI_category = |currency = Kiru |currency_code = LKR |time_zone = |utc_offset = |time_zone_DST = |date_format = dd-mm-yyyy |DST_note = |utc_offset_DST = |drives_on = left |cctld = .lr |aircraft_code = |vehicle_reg = |calling_code = |image_map3 = |alt_map3 = |footnotes = |footnote1 = |footnote2 = |footnote7 = }} Lurberas, officially the Republic of Lurberas, (Lurberan: , '' Rupebeka Lurubeas'') is a sovereign state located in the Zerhaldic ocean and encompasses the entire Lurberan subcontinent and its adjacent islands. It has a population of around 39 million as of 2010, 1.1 million of which live in the capital of Belzeku and 5.4 million in the country's largest city, Murcata. It is a parliamentary republic with Polen Humaras serving as its Prime Minister since October 2013 and Marchal Veneas as President since August 2009. It is a unitary state with 9 provinces. With a GDP of roughly $1.29 trillion, it is a developed country with a high standard of living. It is an important center for culture, entertainment, technology, and finance and is home to hundreds of multinational companies. The Belzeku Stock Exchange is one of the largest in the world with trillions worth of stock being traded every year. Formerly a Murserist state, Lurberas has been a republic since the Lurberan Revolution of 1879 which was instigated, in part, by the October Massacre that occurred the previous year in which 37 anti-monarchist protesters and 15 royal guardsmen were killed outside the Royal Palace. Since then, the country has had a troubled and turbulent history which includes the 1978 Irlabat secession attempt and the early 2010s recession. Religious tension between the atheist majority and Murserist minority has been an issue since the fall of the monarchy and remains a problem today. In 2008, riots began in the city of Zeitu after three, reportedly atheist, boys who were accused of raping and murdering 16-year-old Ionia Mursat, a Murserist girl, were acquitted after two mistrials. Mass immigration of ethnic Nunks from the war-torn and economically devastated Narceni is also a concern which has also erupted into several violent incidents, most notably the Belera beating incident in 2010 in which three Nunk men were jumped and severely beaten by five Lurs. Nevertheless, Lurberas remains a global participant on the world stage and is a member of the Zerhaldic Nations Group, the WMF, the Forum for Nuclear Disarmament and various other organizations. Since 2011, Lurberas has also participated in various peace-keeping missions and has hosted several negotiations between feuding countries. As of 2015, it has diplomatic missions in 63 countries. Etymology "Lurberas" literally means "Land of the Lurs" in Old Lurberan, with "-beras" meaning "home" or "land". History Pre-Lur Arrival Main article: Arajni The Arajni people inhabited what is now Lurberas for centuries before the Lurs arrival in the 14th century. The Arajni kept extensive records beginning in the early 6th century which has provided historians with a detailed account of Arajni history. Over the course of their history, six distinct nations formed. Each spoke the same language, shared the same culture, and practiced the same religion, the latter of which served as a source of common ground especially during times of conflict. Each nation had a different style of leadership. The Kyavai Nation was led by a chief while others, such as the Kyntavi Nation, followed a council system made up of experienced elders. Interestingly, the Hyravi Nation was an anarchistic society or at least had very localized governance. 14th-15th century Lur colonization Main article: Colonization of Lurberas In the 14th century, Lurs from the Kingdom of Reon sailed for what is now Lurberas in order to escape ethnic and religious persecution. They arrived in northeastern Lurberas and established the colony of New Kerland and began trading with Arajni. The two peoples initially had warm relations, but because of the centuries the Arajni spent isolated from the rest world, they developed poor immune systems and were extremely susceptible to the diseases Lurs brought. Diseases that were an inconvenience to a Lur were potentially deadly to an Arajni. Their population began to severely decline which sowed fear and distrust in the Lurs. Nuva Iekeknoan, the Chief of the Tyuni, ordered an attack on Belera in an attempt to drive the Lurs off the island, starting the Lur-Araji War. The attack killed around 500 people and the Lurs, led by Zotan Aris, began planning a counter offensive. An army of volunteers invaded Tyuni and destroyed several villages with relative ease due to their superior weaponry. This, coupled with the fact that Arajni numbers were continuing to fall, compelled Iekenoan to abandon his campaign and he offered a white peace with the Lurs, which Zotan Aris accepted. Lurs became the dominant people in Lurberas and the Arajni would gradually assimilate into Lurberan culture. Formation of the Kingdom of Lurberas ''Main article: Lur-Arajni War After the defeat of the Arajni, New Kerland was renamed to Lurberas and its territory expanded rapidly. On September 4, 1427, Zotan Aris declared himself King of the Lurs as Zotan I and took residence in the newly established capital of Belzeku, which remains the capital of Lurberas today. His claim was met with resistance, however, namely by peasant and farming Lurs who believed their new society had no need for a king. Using weapons they acquired during the Lur-Arajni War, they attacked his residence in Belzeku, severely damaging it and causing the King to flee to the nearby village of Ioptoek. There, he was able to reorganize his army and plan for a counter attack. He launched an attack and siege against Belzeku in order to take back the city. He was victorious and was able to either drive out or compel the surrender of hundreds of rebels. This would prove to be the end of the brief campaign against Zotan and he once again took residence in Belzeku, ordering the construction of the first royal palace where his formal coronation ceremony took place on December 25, 1427. His new kingdom faced many problems including widespread hunger, a war-weary army, and numerous hostile countries looking to exert dominance over Lurberas. Vinesean invasion of 1466 Main article: Lurberas-Vinese War Zotan I died on August 16, 1452 and was succeeded by his son, Zotan II. Zotan II's reign was marred by the invasion of Lurberas by Vinese on March 28, 1466. The Vineseans captured almost one-third of Lurberan territory and were heading to Belzeku. Zotan II's army was well-equipped but had many soldiers who were either untrained or had not seen combat in some time. Many veterans of the Royal Army were still growing accustomed to serving under Zotan I's son. Zotan II sent them to stop the Vineseans' advance at the Tix River. All but three of the bridges across were destroyed, which gave Zotan's army an advantage. The result of the Battle of the Tix would prove inconclusive, however. Both sides sustained many losses but Zotan was successful at stopping the Vineseans' advance. He used this bought time to prepare a counter-offensive. He sent his foreign minster, Tuplan Vunack, to the Kingdom of Ju Aran which was a global supplier of weapons in order to negotiate an arms deal. Meanwhile, Zotan II's army was having difficulty keeping the Vineseans at bay as they had begun constructing various several temporary bridges and Zotan II began using his small navy to mount a small bombardment which was marginally effective. At Ju Aran, Vunack was surprised when Queen Hesha Aran offered to participate in the war on Lurberas' side, on the condition that Ju Aran would be allowed limited use of Lurberas' ports which were strategic areas and the main reason why many countries sought to secure influence over Lurberas. Zotan II was somewhat skeptical, but Ju Aran was a neutral country towards Lurberas and it made no prior indications that it intended to conquer or subjugate Lurberas. Vunack thought the offer was a godsend and advised his king to immediately accept, which he did shortly before the Vineseans were beginning to advance. Ju Aran entered the war on February 17, 1467 and immediately tipped the conflict in Lurberas' favor. The Vineseans were not at all expecting a third party becoming involved, especially not one that was well-armed as Ju Aran. They were quickly driven out of Lurberas, securing victory for Luberas and Ju Aran. Over the war, Zotan II became ill and wounds he sustained from battle were not healing properly and eventually became infected. He died two years after the war's end and was succeeded by his son, Bau I. War of Succession Main article: Tance's War After successfully repelling a foreign invasion, Lurberas would be challenged by an internal war over the rightful heir of the Lurberan throne. Bau I contracted an (at the time) unknown disease, now thought to be avian flu, and died without any named heirs. His daughter, Helna I, at the age of 18, proclaimed herself to be the rightful Queen of Lurberas, arguing it was her right as Bau I's only child. Bau's brother, Tance, challenged her claim, arguing that since Bau did not explicitly name any heirs, his closest male relative was the rightful heir by default. Helna had an advantage as she had lived in Belzeku her whole life and was able to establish an administration early on, adding more legitimacy to her claim. Tance amassed a sizable army in Lakura by convincing peasantry that a young woman who spent most of her life in the wealthy capital was too inexperienced and out of touch to rule such a large kingdom. Tance and Helna's forces first clashed in the Battle of Anzera which was a decisive victory for Helna's army. Shortly after the battle's end, Helna issued a royal warrant for her uncle's arrest for treason and included a personal letter to him where she stated she would spare him the death penalty if he surrendered peacefully. Tance rejected her offer and continued his campaign for the throne. Low supplies and lack of supporters for his claim would secure Tance's defeat. He was captured on June 29, 1472 and his army surrendered shortly after. 16th-19th century Rise of Murserism In the 16th century, missionaries from the Kalaal region arrived in Lurberas, bringing with them the Kirvia and other literature of the Murserist religion. They began constructing various chapels and temples and begun preaching the word of Murserism. The religion spread quickly through out Lurberas, culminating into the conversion of King June I on May 20, 1510, who declared by proclamation that Murerism was to be the state religion. This began the era known as the Esaran Age (from the Lurberan word "esa" which means "reserved", referring to the traditionalist and conservative culture of the period). The conversion put the Lurberan monarchy at odds with many who still adhered to local folk religions. The monarchy responded by imposing a tax on non-Murserists with the Conversion Act of 1511. Much of the revenue raised by this tax went to fund the construction of Murserist churches and temples. People who converted to Murserism solely to avoid the tax became known as 'shaists' and faced persecution and scrutiny from the government which compelled some to become full-fledged members of the religion. As the decades went on, however, the royal family began relaxing its enforcement of religious codes and ethics. War with Hanag For the first quarter of the 18th century, King Je-Aark of Hanag in the Teteran continent had been trying to influence Lurberas. He did this by increasing pressure on Lurberas to begin trading with Hanag. Lurberas was in serious need of iron, which Hanag was in abundance of. Hanag offered Lurberas a trade agreement that would involve Lurberas receiving iron at a reduced price. Lurberas was reluctant to accept, as it did have other, albeit less certain, means of acquiring iron. Mining in Lurberas was in its infancy and was rife with accidents with little production. It was not uncommon for a crew not to produce a single ounce of iron in a day's work. Betting on mining conditions to improve was a risky one. Lurberas could not afford to turn down the offer Hanag had presented. It accepted and began receiving shipments the following month. Hanag would soon take advantage of Lurberas' new dependence on it. Je-Aark began exerting more power over Lurberas by decreasing the shipment of iron it was sending to Lurberas while raising the price, completely forgoing the reduced price it had offered to Lurberas in order to secure the deal. King Bau II's trade minister, Genald Centyus was sent to Hanag to demand answers. Hanag told Centyus that several mines had caved in, resulting in their temporary shut down which increased the cost of iron. In reality, this was a lie. No cave ins were reported in that time frame. Centyus, however, oblivious to the truth, was satisfied by this answer but his king was suspicious. On a gamble that Hanag was lying, he sent several spies to inspect the mines for cave ins. He did not notify his defense minister nor any other ministers in order to maintain plausible deniability. Three spies were captured by Hanag while one managed to safely return who reported that the mines were in fact fully functioning and in operation. Still, this was not solid proof that Hanag was lying as Bau wanted. Now he had a diplomatic crisis unfolding as Hanag was demanding to know why three Lurberan spies were illegally in the country and threatened to cut off all shipments of iron. On April 11, 1766, before even receiving an answer, and hoping to catch the Lurberans off guard, Je-Aark ordered an attack on a Lurberan naval base destroying 5 ships and killing 219 sailors. While it did come as a surprise to Bau that Hanag would attack so soon, he was anticipating an attack from Hanag and immediately ordered an assault of Hanagi cities, using ships from the opposite side of the country that had been quietly preparing for an attack. The assault was moderately successful. It destroyed key areas of Hanag's weapons manufacturing which hindered Hanag's ability to respond. Bau took advantage of the delayed response and ordered a full-scale land invasion. This decision was costly. Lurberas used almost two-thirds of the iron it bought from Hanag manufacturing ammunition for the invasion. The invasion itself was relatively intense but Lurberas was successful in capturing three coastal cities, which allowed Bau to compel Je-Aark to the negotiating table. Lurberas' demands were simple: Return the three Lurberan spies, cease all trade with Lurberas, and Lurberas withdraws from captured Hanag territory. Je-Aark was hesitant to accept. He knew his army had more resources than Bau's and that it wouldn't be difficult to drive the Lurberans out and go for an invasion. But Hanag's tenuous relationship with the Zanath Republic was beginning to falter and Je-Aark did not want to waste effort punishing an impoverished Zerhaldic state when a more worrying threat was looming. A peace accord was signed on June 22, 1767 which ended hostilities between the two countries. The incident with Hanag caused Bau's foreign policy to take a more isolationist approach. Lurberas was weak and interacting with predatory states threatened to doom the country. He focused the remainder of his reign attempting to improve the Lurberan economy with the hopes of achieving self-sufficiency but was plagued by the political backlash caused by the revelation that he sent four spies without notifying any of his ministers. Enlightenment and decline of Murserism As the monarchy began adopting a less stricter approach to upholding traditionalist values, Enlightenment values such as reason, humanism, and republicanism had begun spreading to Lurberas. Criticism of the Murserist religion, which would've resulted in severe penalties a century earlier, were know being spoken aloud in public. Lurberans were becoming disillusioned with religion, and by extension, the royal family. Dissatisfaction with the monarchy would come to ahead with the nationalization of all wheat farms in the country by Queen Agreia in 1875. The farms, which had failed to meet their state-mandated quota for the fourth year in a row, were seen as classical symbols of Lurberan labor, peasantry, and the common public and to have them under control of the disconnected monarchy was unacceptable to many Lurberans. Several members of Parliament, even those who were loyal to the monarchy, heavily criticized the nationalization. October Massacre Further information: October Massacre The first open violence against the monarchy would occur on October 14, 1878 when, at a protest outside the Royal Palace, an unidentified boy was shot and killed, allegedly by a royal guardsman. Another protester reportedly returned fire at the guards which started a shootout that ended with 15 guards and 37 protesters dead. The incident was national outrage. Riots began in cities across the country and thousands gathered outside the palace. Parliament convened an emergency session to determine what, if anything, should be done to respond to the incident at the palace. Kernan Muladar, a member of Parliament from Lakura delivered a two-hour long speech on the House of Delegates floor describing his reasoning and support for a Lurberan republic. The speech was well received by MPs in session and Muladar became a de facto leader of the republican movement. Revolution of 1879 Further information: Lurberan Revolution Ignited by republican fervor inspired by Enlightenment ideals, a group of 300 to 600 overwhelmed the guards and stormed the royal palace, arresting the royal family and imprisoning them at the local city jail in Belzeku while Parliament convened again to propose and debate a resolution to dissolve the monarchy. Such a resolution was proposed by Vereni Kutan as Bill No. 412. She delivered a hour and a half long speech supporting the resolution which was met with a standing ovation. Notable exceptions were Yanci Olano and Kenten Salaras who were vocally opposed to the unfolding events and described them as 'Myopic" and "Hasty". It is reported that a small scuffle broke out between Salaras and another MP after getting into a heated debate that required the two being removed from the floor. Parliament voted 197-4 to dissolve the monarchy and replace Queen Agreia with a president that would elected by the Senate. In order to strengthen the legitimacy of the new republican government, Parliament was dissolved shortly after Bill No. 412 was approved and new elections were held two months later which saw the New Foundation Party win a majority of seats in the House of Delegates and Hunson Klemeno became the first post-monarchy Prime Minister. The new Senate then elected Kernan Muladar as the first President of Lurberas. Somewhat controversially, the State Prosecutor, Juman Lonas, declined to press any formal charges against the former queen and royal family, ordering their release from jail a few days after Bill No. 412 was passed. After the monarchy was abolished, many Murserists believed their religion was under attack and began forming tight-knit communities for solidarity. The city of Zeitu became the largest of these communities and today remains the largest Murserist majority-city in Lurberas and is an important center for Murserist culture, thought, and belief. 20th century Industrialization The 20th century began with the industrialization of Lurberas and the decline of agriculture's importance in the Luberan economy. New technologies became available that allowed more production with less labor and many Lurberans began to work in factories. Labor unions began to form, which resulted in the first labor strikes in 1929, hailing the start of the labor movement in Lurberas that still has considerable influence today. Strikes over working conditions were common and were resolved fairly quickly. Many factories began preemptively improving conditions to avoid a strike, but this often came a cost some were not able to recover from. As the boom from industrialization slowed, Lurberas became increasingly urbanized. People who had lived on farms for centuries were now moving into suburban neighborhoods. Murcata was a booming industrial city that saw a escalation in population and remains the largest city in Lurberas today. The industrialization of Lurberas was not without social consequences, however. There was a distinct gap between the laboring factory workers and the wealthy owners that began to grow. Class envy and warfare threatened to disrupt the burgeoning economy. Recession of 1936-38 The recession of 1936-38, also known as the Astara (from astar meaning "depression" in Lurberan), had a devastating effect on Lurberan society. Millions of Lurberans became unemployed and poverty skyrocketed. The country's GDP declined by 26% during the first year of the recession. The value of the Lurberan kiru fell by around 50% which projected adverse effects of the recession onto other countries.The government responded by enacting various social welfare programs, increasing the public debt by almost 130%. Taking on so much debt so suddenly shook lenders' confidence in the Lurberan government, but Lurberas' credit rating stayed at a perfect AAA throughout the recession. Among the various social effects caused by the rescission was the resurgence of fiscally left wing and socialist ideals. Coupled with a cultural background of agricultural labor, support for a generalized welfare state peaked during this time period and labor parties won majorities across the country. Murserist populated regions had a complex relationship with this burgeoning of leftism. Most Murserists generally accepted the principle of a larger welfare state but rejected the socially liberal ideals many leftists were advocating at the time. Resurgence of Murserism The rise of crime and social ills such as alcoholism, gambling, and drug abuse during the rescission compounded with the increase in social liberal ideals led to the resurgence of the traditionalist conservative beliefs of Murserism. The city of Zeitu's population had increased by over 30%, mostly of new converts to the religion. These new converts to the religion were often called neo-Murserists and often touted slightly more conservative variations of the religion while maintaining core beliefs. 1978 Irlabat secession attempt One of the most intense political crises occurred over the course of 1978 and culminated into an attempted provincial secession by various opponents of the ruling Prime Minister at the time, Zelana Kekeron. Kekeron was a member of the Lurberan Family Party, precursor to the modern Lurberan Family Union, and was attempting to pass a package of bills aimed at weakening the political grip Murserists Represented had at the Irlabat legislature which had just enacted several laws which the LFP government accused of being discriminatory towards non-Murserists. MR rejected these claims and instead accused Kekeron of being an atheist, despite her profession that she was in fact a Murserist as well. The local valayen from her hometown of Jureta challenged her profession, revealing that Kekeron had not attended a takabath in over five years and asserted that her claim that she was a Murserist was based on her parents' membership to the religion. Protests where held in Zeitu and Belzeku which eventually grew out of the control of local police. Some 1,000 protesters were arrested which MR regarded as political prisoners in their party newspapers. Anger in Zeitu continued to increase and threatened to erupt into violence. Kekeron called an emergency meeting with President Benza Supera and asked him to approve a measure to declare a state of emergency, which would suspend Parliament and allow Kekeron to enact temporary laws by decree. Supera was reluctant to approve and was quoted as saying "The Murserists want to be antagonized and this will surely fit their bill" but Kekeron insisted, arguing that if the situation isn't calmed now, it would become much worse. Supera approved Kekeron's request and a state of emergency was declared on April 19, 1978. Two days later, Kekeron issued a 10PM curfew in the Irlabat province and declared all anti-government protests to be illegal and authorized the police to disperse the crowds. While Kekeron expected this to be end of the crisis, the situation horrifically backfired. The once-peaceful protests erupted into full-scale riots in Zeitu and throughout Irlabat and other Murserist-populated areas of Lurberas. Fearing the safety of police officers, Chief of the National Police, Yanci Wenton, allowed all officers to use deadly force. On June 9, 1978 Renard Gunerd, a 29-year-old police officer from Imparadaen, fired upon a crowed of rioters and killed two of them. No other officers opened fire and they made their retreat. Gunerd said he opened fire because the group of rioters were beginning to surround and overwhelm him and his comrades but other officer reports seem to contradict this. The incident cemented hatred of Kekeron's government and party members of Murserists Represented began calling for her impeachment, calling her a murderer and tyrant. Kekeron denounced the killing but did not prohibit or restrict officers' use of lethal force. In Zeitu, the situation was reaching its peak. The provincial legislature convened an emergency meeting that was held in secret. After meeting and adjourning for three days, they called a press conference and announced Irlabat's unilateral secession from Lurberas as the 'Sovereign and Divine Republic of Irlabat'. The secession was immediately declared illegal by Kekeron and ordered the resignation of all provincial legislators and threatened them with a treason charge if they refused. Irlabat responded by demanding the immediate resignation of Zelana Kekeron and dissolution of her government and new elections. LFP met and debated on removing their leader. Speaking about the crisis years later, LFP delegate Genten Hosmok said "The consensus was that Kekeron's attempt to mitigate Murserist encroachment on civil liberties had grown completely out control and that she was making it a personal issue with each passing day. A civil war would have likely broken out if she was allowed to lead any longer." The LFP voted overwhelmingly to remove Kekeron from office and replaced her with Tutaran Qolo. Qolo immediately promised to negotiate with Irlabat and reversed the state of emergency, rendering all decrees issued by Kekeron null. Replacing Kekeron, who was perceived as fanatically opposed to political Murserism with someone seen as a moderate already did much to help calm the situation. The riots in Zeitu began to wane down. MR said it will re-unite with Lurberas if it received a promise that all future LFP governments would not attempt to pass any legislation that would target Murserists. Qolo immediately accepted as he was primarily concerned with ending the crisis before it seriously grew out of hand. On October 4, 1978, the Irlabat provincial legislature voted to reintegrate back with Lurberas. Qolo, with approval from President Supera, dissolved the national parliament and new elections were held which saw MR win the most seats it had ever won previously or since. The crisis helped reignite Murserist pride and solidified the general belief among Murserists that they are a persecuted class and that an independent Murserist state will soon be necessary. Groups such as the National Murserists continue to advance that goal today. Since the end of the crisis, the relationship between the LFP and Murserists has again become strained. The LFP dissolved and was succeeded by the Lurberan Family Union (LFU) which MR says is the party's attempt to circumvent their earlier promise to not introduce any legislation that targets Muserists. MR delegate Ionis Tyuns said years later after the crisis' end "They think that since its now the LFU and not the LFP they can break their promise to us." Contemporary era Rape and murder of Ionia Mursat On April 11, 2007, a 16-year-old girl, later identified as Ionia Mursat, was found dead in a field about three miles outside of Zeitu. She had extensive injuries throughout her body and the Zeitu Coroners' Office determined she was raped before and after she died of blunt force trauma to the head. The news of Mursat's death received little attention until it was revealed that she and her family were extremely devout Murserists. DNA evidence obtained from Mursat's body identified three suspects, 20-year-old Runald Zumaras, 22-year-old, Toplan Lupan, and 19-year-old Lenas Koton. Zumaras had dated Mursat about a month before her death but their relationship ended at the insistence of Mursat's family after they found out he was an atheist. He, and the three other men, were arrested and interrogated, but refused to say much to police other than providing an alibi. Zumaras admitted he was with the two other men on the night Mursat was determined to have been killed but said he was out partying at a club and hadn't spoken to Mursat since their relationship ended. Although security camera footage obtained from police at the club verified the three boys' alibi, the Zeitu District Attorney said the DNA evidence found was enough to move forward to trial. The trial began on September 27, 2007 and closing arguments were made on October 11. The jury deliberated for five weeks but was unable to reach a verdict. Jurors who later spoke about the trial said the video evidence and DNA evidence presented an apparent contradiction the jury was not able to reconcile. The presiding judge, Tuyani Lupeas, declared a mistrial and ordered the three men be re-tried. Finding a new jury took three weeks and the second trial began on December 6, 2007. Both the prosecution and defense made mostly the same arguments as they did in the previous trial. Closing arguments were made and the jury began deliberating on December 20. After only one week, they found all three men guilty of rape and first degree murder. The verdict was received in the Murserist community as a long fought victory. Such a victory would be short-lived, however, as while the boys were awaiting sentencing, it was revealed one of the jurors, Number 6, had discussed and obtained outside knowledge about the case during recesses, a direct violation of criminal procedure in Lurberas. The defense immediately requested for an acquittal, arguing that the jury had been tainted and another trial would constitute double jeopardy. Judge Lupeas agreed and on January 5, 2008, acquitted all three men, ordering their release. 2008 riots Judge Lupeas' decision came as a shock to the Murserist population and many took to the streets to voice their outrage. Looters targeted businesses owned by non-Murserists before setting them on fire once all the merchandise was taken. Some store-owners attempted to protect their businesses by firing on the rioters but most became overwhelmed and were forced to flee. Those who were unable to escape risked being attacked by rioters. Footage of looters and rioters beating Zumar Susuko, a 74-year-old store-owner, to death further fueled the discord. There were many reports of Murserists in cities in other provinces being attacked for the events in Zeitu. The government sent in riot police who were armed with rubber bullets, tear gas, and live ammunition in an attempt to contain the unrest. Rioters threw makeshift explosives at police, injuring several officers. Shootouts between rioters and police also broke out, resulting in 21 deaths including five police officers. By the second day, much of the non-Murserist areas had been severely ravaged while the riot began moving east, towards Murserist populated areas which led the government to fear their destruction would become less discriminate. Then-Prime Minister Istan Tukuom, a member of the LFU, declared a state of emergency in Irlabat and ordered the military be sent in to contain the situation. The military imposed a 9PM curfew effective province-wide which initially intensified the rioting as it called back memories of the state of emergency was declared in 1978. The curfew was largely successful in curbing the unrest, however. Smaller disturbances would continue before subsiding by the third day. After 30 deaths, over 3,000 arrests, and K900,000,000 in property damage, the 2008 riots was one of the costliest disasters in Lurberan history and went on to further strain religious relations, which allowed the LFU to win a large majority in the 2011 general elections. Nunk immigration While previous years were defined by religious conflict, ethnic conflict has come to define later years. An armed conflict erupted in the Narcenian Republic after a coup d'etat in 2010 which created hundreds of thousands of refugees, many of whom moved to Lurberas which offered more political and economic stability. Lurberas had never opened its border to such a large scale immigration and many Lurs, conservatives in particular, began to feel Lurberan culture was not equipped to handle it. The state-sponsored Lurberas Works! program was started in 2011 and was aimed at assisting new Nunk arrivals and unemployed Lurberans find jobs suited to their skills. It also offered free Lurberan language courses to Nunks. While moderately successful, the program has been extremely controversial in Lurberas. Some conservatives accused the government of being more concerned for the welfare of foreigners than for Lurs. The left argued that these concerns were based in xenophobia and racism and that Nunks are assimilating well into their new environment. Prejudice and hostility towards Nunks has become increasingly common and many Nunks began moving into lower-income areas. Belera beating incident On April 28, 2010, while walking home from a restaurant in Belera, three Nunk men were jumped and severely beaten by a group of five Lur men who were reportedly intoxicated as they had just returned from the local bar less than a mile away. Before the beating occurred, witnesses stated the two groups became enthralled in an intense argument over some unknown subject. One witness said she thought she heard one of the Nunk men yell "He's got a knife!" before being attacked by a Lur. Emergency services arrived about six minutes after the Lurs fled the scene and the three Nunks were rushed to the Belera Community Hospital. Doctors described their injuries as "grisly" but they all eventually made a full recovery after a two-week long stay. Four of the five Lurs were arrested two days after the beating and the fifth turned himself in about a week later. All were charged with three counts of attempted murder. The incident was a national outrage the moment it hit the airwaves. Thousands of Nunks began protesting outside the Sakaban Provincial Capitol demanding justice. Murserists Represented publicized the incident as another example of Lurberas' increasing hostility to minorities. Public opinion of Lurs was mixed between those condemning the attack and those believing the Nunks provoked the Lurs. On June 11, 2010, a judge ruled that all five men would be tried together. Originally scheduled for September, the trial was postponed three times by the defense, who claimed it was having difficulty finding a neutral jury. Eventually, on February 10, 2011, the trial began with a crowd around 1,100 people, mostly Nunks, demonstrating outside the courthouse. After almost two weeks of arguments and testimony, the jury went to deliberation on February 23, 2011. The jury, which took four days to render their verdict, found all five men guilty of attempted murder and were each sentenced to 7 years in prison with the possibility of parole after four years. The verdict was praised by the Nunk and Murserist communities and met with mixed reactions from the Lurs. Government Parliament Main article: Parliament of Lurberas The Parliament of Lurberas consists of two chambers: the House of Delegates and the Senate. The House of Delegates elects the Prime Minister, which is almost always the leader of the party with the majority of seats. The House of Delegates' members are elected every two years by a direct, first-past-the-post (FPTP) system in each of the 205 districts the delegates represent. There are no term limits on Delegates. The upper chamber, the Senate, consists of 45 members who are elected by provincial legislatures every four years. Each province may have different systems for electing its senators. Senators can serve for a maximum of two terms. Prime Minister Main Article: Prime Minister of Lurberas The Prime Minister is the head of government and most day-to-day executive power rests with him. The Prime Minister selects the cabinet and generally acts as the representative for ruling party's legislative agenda. As of 2015, the current Prime Minister is Polen Humaras, serving since 2013. Subdivisions Lurberas is divided into nine provinces which are further divided into 205 districts. Belzeku is governed directly by Parliament as an Independent Capital City. Geography Lurberas occupies the entire Lurberan subcontinent and its adjacent islands, giving it an area of 1,568,728 sq km, making it the largest country in the Zerhaldic region. Lurberas has consistent elevation for most of country except for raised portions in the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Heights. It's highest point is Mount Garana located in the Northern Heights which is 14,388 feet above sea level. Climate Lurberas has a mostly temperate climate. Average temperatures reach around 70F during the summer and 20F during the winter. Flora and fauna Lurberas has a diverse ecosystem with many species of plant and animal life that are not found anywhere else on the planet. The tirasua, a flower known for its bright red and purple petals, has become a symbol of Lurberas and can be found all over the country. Economy Lurberas has mixed-economy with varying degrees of regulation between different sectors. Three of the ten largest companies in Lurberas, Lurtrak, Health Company, and the Lurberan Board of Water and Light, are state-owned. Historically, Lurberas' economy was centered around agriculture but in modern times, much of the Lurberan economy is based on coal, oil and other energy production, accounting for 25% of Lurberas' GDP combined. Healthcare services are also an important aspect of the Lurberan economy and there is a very high demand for doctors. So much so that the Lurberan government has begun offering immigration incentives to foreign doctors. The national currency is the Lurberan kiru (LKR) which is issued by the Central Reserve of Lurberas. Murcata is Lurberas' financial center, home to hundreds of multinational companies that generate billions in revenue. Lurberas is a major exporter of aluminium, steel, and various metals in the Zerhaldic region, accounting for 15% of its exports. Science and technology Lurberas is a major innovator in medical technologies and many notable advances in medicine have their origins in Lurberas. The Lurberan government invests around K300,000,000 annually into medical research. Agriculture Lurberas is known for its strong agricultural background and farmland continues to account for a great portion of Lurberas' total land area. Crops such as wheat and corn make up the most of annual yield. Demographics In the 2010 census, Lurberas population was recorded as 39,470,359. Murcata is Lurberas most populous city at 5.4 million. Population density was 196 people in 2014. The birthrate is below replacement level at 1.46 children per woman. Lurberas' population would be declining if it were not for high levels of immigration which are also beginning to decrease. This has raised many concerns about the sustainability of the Lurberan economy as well as potential social impacts a declining population could have. Religion Lurberas was a Murserist state until the fall of the monarchy in 1879. Since then, religious membership has greatly declined with brief periods of slight increase. 75% of Lurberans are atheist or non-religious and 24% are Murserist. Other religions make up the remaining 1%. Ethnicity 97% of Lurberans are ethnically Lur. 3% are ethnically Nunk, of which, 99% were born in Narceni and immigrated to Lurberas. Education Education is provided by the public and private sectors and is compulsory until age 16. The government provides free education at the provincial level. Lurberas also has high private school attendance at 42% of enrolled children and adolescents, though this has been declining in recent years. Culture Lurberan culture is the result of over five centuries of influence by various religious, ethnic, and social groups. Exchanges between Arajni and the Lur colonists formed the foundation for modern Lurberan culture. The arrival of Murserism in the 16th century had a great influence on Lurberan society. Music Most staples of Lurberan classical music from the the 18th century composer Jeana Loponis who wrote hundreds of songs, musicals, and symphonies until her death in 1798. Other well known Lurberan melodies include "Turess" written by an unknown musician possibly as early as 1102. Lurberas' period as a Murserist state has also had a significant influence on music in the country. Various chants and hymns have been written over the years to fulfill the many rituals found in the religion. Contemporary acts include the Entzules, which are known internationally and whose tours have taken them around the world. Art Artistic movements such as Zerhaldism, a style which seeks to enhance the finer qualities and natural elements of the Zerhaldic region, have influenced Lurberan artists and their works, including Jonaas Bastier, one of the most well-known Lurberan artists whose works have sold at auction for upwards of K80 million. Food Lurberan cuisine is known for incorporating a variety of berries and fruits native to the country. Lurberan-style steak is distinguished by topping it with small amounts of fensi berry juice, giving its signature sweet-flavor. Literature Lurberan literature is expansive and contains hundreds of thousands authors, some of which are well-known around the world. Fedreon Fionis' (1792-1880) works, such as The Serpent's Forked Tail and Her's is Won are consistently listed as among the best works of drama and have influenced successive works. Playwright Hensha Duonon (1631-1693) wrote over 100 plays and her distinctive style of writing defined the modern Lurberan language. Category:Desperatio